Letter to the Editor

The Odin orbital observatory

¹ Swedish National Space Board, Box 4006, 171 04 Solna, Sweden
² Swedish Space Corporation, PO Box 4207, 171 04 Solna, Sweden
³ National Technology Agency of Finland (TEKES), Kyllikkiporten 2, PB 69, 00101 Helsinki, Finland
⁴ Onsala Space Observatory, Chalmers University of Technology, 439 92, Onsala, Sweden
⁵ Observatoire de Paris, 61 Av. de l'Observatoire, 75014 Paris, France
⁶ Canadian Space Agency, PO Box 7275, Ottawa, Ontario K1L 8E3, Canada
⁷ Finnish Meteorological Institute, PO Box 503, 00101 Helsinki, Finland
⁸ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, ABT 2N 1N4, Canada
⁹ Department of Physics and Engineering Physics, 116 Science Place, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2, Canada
¹⁰ Observatory, PO Box 14, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
¹¹ Institut Pierre Simon Laplace, CNRS-Université Paris 6, 4 place Jussieu, 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France
¹² Global Environmental Measurements Group, Department of Radio and Space Science, Chalmers, 412 96 Göteborg, Sweden
¹³ Centre National d'Études Spatiales, Centre Spatial de Toulouse, 18 avenue Édouard Belin, 31401 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
¹⁴ Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden

Corresponding author: L. Nordh, lennart.nordh@snsb.se

Received: 6 December 2002
Accepted: 17 February 2003

Abstract

Odin is a satellite with a combined astronomy and aeronomy mission. It is designed for observations of species difficult or impossible to observe from ground, especially water and oxygen. The main instrument is a radiometer, operating in the frequency range 486–581 GHz and at 118.75 GHz. Its double-reflector telescope has a 1.1 m primary and the front-end amplifiers are cooled for maximum sensitivity. A 3-axis-stabilisation system provides a pointing accuracy better than 10″. Odin was developed on behalf of the space agencies in Sweden, Canada, France and Finland and was launched into a sun synchronous circular orbit in February 2001. The Odin Science Team, composed of astronomers and aeronomers from the partner countries, has established the observing programme and is responsible for all scientific matters regarding the Odin project. The spacecraft and instruments are performing well and operations are expected to continue well beyond the nominal two-year lifetime.